


i want the world to know

by 1FantasticBeastThatYouCantFind



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Coming Out, Other, brothely love, i do not support barlian or any form of incest, ian is gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23106868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1FantasticBeastThatYouCantFind/pseuds/1FantasticBeastThatYouCantFind
Summary: Ian is nervous coming out to his mom but, as always, Barley is there to help him get through it.
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot & Ian Lightfoot
Comments: 21
Kudos: 267





	i want the world to know

**Author's Note:**

> I guess the girl elf from the movie doesn't have a name so I just refer to her here as "friend". BTW, sorry for that random Sound of Music reference in the opening.
> 
> Also, texts are in italics

Ian Lightfoot was never confident before the quest. He had no friends and stayed hidden in his safe little bubble. After the quest, however, he was a whole new person. He had accepted his lifestyle. He had let other people in. He had even learned magic. Most importantly, he had finally gained confidence. He had confidence sunshine. He had confidence in rain. He had confidence that spring would come again. And he definitely had confidence in himself...

Except for this one little thing he had to do.

Barley was obviously the first one Ian come out to. Barley had been there for Ian since the very beginning. While Ian was still obviously nervous about it, he had faith that he would take it well. And he was right. Barley was so proud of Ian that it somehow turned out a lot better than he thought it would.

This reaction from Barley gave Ian the confidence to come out to his new friend group. They all seemed to take it really well and were very accepting of him. Though, it seemed like his best friend had a bit of a tough time getting used to it. If Ian didn't know any better, he would've guess that she had liked him at some point. Maybe. But she still came around and accepted him too. There was just one more person to come out to. Unfortunately, this was a big one.

Ian had become a junior in high school now and Barley's gap year had ended, meaning that he was now at University. The two would still talk constantly except for when Barley was with his new Quests of Yore party. While waiting for him to respond, Ian would flip through the spell book. He read every single word to make sure that the spell he was looking for was there. It never was. He went on his phone and sent a message to Barley:

_-Are you SURE there's not a memory-erasing spell?_

He began to flip through the book again before his phone went off. It was a message from Barley.

- _i_ _f its not in the book its not real :P_

Ian groaned as he hastily typed his response.

- _But I remember you saying that there was one!!!_

Barley immediately responded.

- _i said it there was a LEGEND_

Ian typed back furiously, spelling errors be damned.

- _WJAT LEGEMD?!?!?!?_

Ian anxiously tapped his foot as he was his brother was typing.

_-The legend that it existed and then destroyed because it was too dangerous._

Ian slammed the book shut in exasperation and focused all his attention on his texts with his brother.

- _Is there any spell that ACCIDENTALLY can erase memories??_

Forty-five minutes passed.

_-sorry i was looking for what you wanted so good news i found it bad news it involves blowing up the house_

Ian looked over at his spell book, contemplating whether or not he wanted to find out what spell it was. Instead, he simply vented out all his frustrations into his conversation with Barley.

- _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH_

He almost slammed his head onto his desk before he got an immediate response from his brother.

- _why do you need this again??_

_-this better not be for what i think it is_

Ian's foot was rapidly tapping again. It took him a few minutes to actually want to write back. He almost straight up lied to his brother but, instead, he opted to answer his question with a question.

- _Why do you thimk I need it??_

Again, Barley responded almost right after.

- _is this about mom_

- _...Maybe_

- _...Ian 😑_

- _What??_

- _its gonna be fine she wont care_

 _-_ _You don't know that!_

- _yes i do mom never really cared about this kinda stuff before why would she care now you didn't even seem to be that nervous about this before!_

- _It's a lot different when I'm about to do it!_

_-mom's boyfriend works with that one gay cyclops_

- _That doesn't mean they like her!_

- _h_ _aven't they all had dinner together like five thousand times??_

- _...It was just five times, not five thousand._

- _see there you go_

- _I mean, your boyfriend's coworker is a lot different than your son_

- _hey remember what i said when you were crossing the pit_

Ian sighed. He sat there for a little bit and it seemed like Barley could tell that his brother wasn't responding.

- _what did i say??_

- _Ian Lightfoot is fearless._

Ian sighed again. It made him feel a little better. He and his mom both took on a dragon. Would him being gay really be the thing that ruined their relationship? His anxiety went down slightly when Barley sent a response in all caps.

- _IAN LIGHTFOOT IS FEARLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

- _youve made it this far in your quest its time to make it to the end!! NOW ARE YOU READY_

Ian puffed out his chest and threw staff over on his bed.

- _YEAH IM READY AS I'LL WVER BE!!!_

- _*EVER_

He set his phone down and marched out of his room, ready to tell his mom his big truth.

After Laurel squeezed her son and reassured him how much she loved him, Ian simply felt a wave of relief and a reminded that Barley would always be there for him whenever he needed.


End file.
